Visible-light telescopes

Telescope Name	Location	Frequency Range	Number of Antennas	Key Scientific Objectives	Notable Features
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)	Space (Low Earth Orbit)	2.4m	Space telescope (reflector)	Galaxy formation, planetary atmospheres, star clusters	Ultra-clear, high-resolution images from above the atmosphere, extensive optical and UV capabilities
Keck Observatory	Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA	10m (two telescopes)	Ground-based, optical and IR	Exoplanets, distant galaxies, black holes	Uses adaptive optics; very large primary mirror for detailed imaging
Very Large Telescope (VLT)	Paranal Observatory, Chile	8.2m (four telescopes)	Ground-based, optical and IR	Star formation, galaxy evolution, exoplanets	Adaptive optics, can operate in interferometric mode for high angular resolution
Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC)	La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain	10.4m	Ground-based, optical and IR	Star formation, black holes, galaxy evolution	Largest single-aperture optical telescope, high sensitivity for faint objects
Subaru Telescope	Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA	8.2m	Ground-based, optical and IR	Galaxy evolution, star clusters, solar system objects	Wide-field imaging capabilities, adaptive optics for high-resolution imaging
Gemini Observatory	Mauna Kea, Hawaii & Cerro Pachón, Chile	8.1m	Ground-based, optical and IR (twin telescopes)	Exoplanet studies, stellar populations, distant galaxies	Dual locations for full-sky coverage, adaptive optics for precision imaging
Large Binocular Telescope (LBT)	Mount Graham, Arizona, USA	2 x 8.4m mirrors	Ground-based, optical and IR	Exoplanets, galaxy formation, stellar populations	Dual 8.4m mirrors provide high sensitivity and resolution; interferometric capability
Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT)	Happy Jack, Arizona, USA	4.3m	Ground-based, optical and IR	Exoplanets, Kuiper Belt objects, near-Earth objects	Versatile optical and near-infrared capabilities; focuses on planetary and stellar studies
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT)	Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA	3.6m	Ground-based, optical and IR	Galaxy clusters, dark matter, exoplanets	Strong in wide-field imaging; notable for deep field surveys
Pan-STARRS (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System)	Haleakala, Hawaii, USA	1.8m	Ground-based, wide-field survey	Near-Earth asteroids, supernovae, transient events	Equipped for rapid, all-sky surveys; focuses on detecting moving and variable objects